EPA Postpones Power Plant Pollution Regulation

Last month, the U.S. EPA announced that it would postpone sections of a rule meant to impede water pollution from coal-fired power plants.

The agency will be considering whether to rewrite the measure, which was established during President Obama’s tenure.

“It’s the second time the agency, at the behest of the electric utility industry, has tried to delay implementation of the 2015 requirements for steam electric power plants to control the amount of coal-ash contaminated wastewater flushed from their plants,” ABC News reported. “The water, which contains toxic heavy metals such as lead, arsenic and mercury, is pumped to holding ponds but often ends up in rivers and lakes. The new rule sets the first specific limits on those toxins.”

Advocates of the delay explain that it gives power operations respite from impending requirements to upgrade their treatment technology. EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt had tried to delay the rule in April, but environmental groups sued. They will likely do so again, citing the importance of the regulation for protecting source water quality.

“The EPA has estimated that the 2015 rule, if implemented, would reduce power plant pollution by about 1.4 billion pounds a year,” per ABC News. “Only about 12 percent of the nation’s steam electric power plants would have to make new investments to meet the higher standards, according to the agency.”

A decision to implement the rule as scheduled or suspend it indefinitely would certainly have ramifications for the drinking water treatment industry. Some environmental advocates are concerned that without this implementation, drinking water will be imperiled.

“The EPA is tossing out safeguards that would finally address our nation’s leading source of toxic water pollution while the drinking water of millions of Americans hangs in the balance,” said Howard Crystal of the Center for Biological Diversity, according to Common Dreams. “We will fight to reverse this decision and make sure the Trump administration prioritizes protecting our health and welfare over padding the pockets of polluters.”

For similar stories visit Water Online’s Wastewater Regulations And Legislation Solutions Center.